Neil Stevens, Hebrides.
This is one of Neil Stevens’ amazing shipping forecast prints and I love it so much I just had to show you. If you are unaware of it, the UK shipping forecast is broadcast twice daily on BBC radio. Its detailed meteorological information acts as a lifeline to vessels planning their routes around these shores, but also provides (to anyone who is awake to hear it) an incredibly evocative litany of Britain’s liminal spaces. “This set of prints,” says Neil, “has been inspired by those midnight broadcasts with their unique language, unusual regional names and phrases.” Two beautifully produced Fair Isle and Hebrides prints have just turned up here today and I am very much looking forward to hanging them on my wall. See the rest of the series here.
KDD & Co 
How funny! In one of those fortuitous sort of coincidences, I showed this art work to my husband, even though we are both American and have never heard the Shipping Forecast. He surprised me, though, by saying that he had heard a story about the Shipping Forecast on National Public Radio just this past December: http://www.npr.org/2013/12/16/249722733/the-shipping-forecast-from-britains-seas-into-its-soul
LikeLike
I always used to say that if I were marooned on a desert island, I’d take the shipping forecast with me. So eternal and comforting, even when gale force 9…
LikeLike
Coincidence – a) have just finished reading Peter May Hebridean books b) have a sailor husband who relies on the shipping forecast when in British waters and c) have three books sitting on my table: Collyer’s “Rain Later Good” (art), Jefferson’s “And Now the Shipping Forecast” and Connelly’s “Attention All Shipping”, because I wanted to know more about it, having always heard my mom talk about it and love listening myself when we are in Brittany…
Small world ;)
LikeLike
Visibility definately good!
LikeLike
Very unique!
LikeLike
Gosh, how I miss the Shipping Forecast! If I heard the midnight broadcast it was because I was still awake and feeling lonely, and it always made feel slightly better to know that there were other lonely souls listening to the same thing. I last lived in the UK 22 years ago, but still miss it – and the calm delivery of the meteorologist giving the news.
LikeLike
Another world-expanding moment. I’d never heard of a shipping forecast, much less knew you could ink an unusual and compelling design of it.
LikeLike
Such beautiful prints. I halfway expected to hear a foghorn!!
LikeLike
Love these x
LikeLike
Very nice and I had to look up Alan Bennett…….he had me fooled, thought he was/is a meteorologist :)
LikeLike
Love love love! I’m always so happy to catch the late night shipping forecast as I’m working into dusk in my own timezone. It has its own special, evocative mysticism, a reaching out to lonely souls across the water. I always feel like I’m part of some secret club when I hear it.
LikeLike
thank you for bringing my attention to all that lovely stuff. again and again :)
LikeLike
Love it!
LikeLike
Thank you for the link. I’ve just scrolled through the whole gallery of his prints (flight tags, cyclists and tapes) and the one of the velodrome is fantastic — what a shame he wasn’t hired to design the 2012 Olympics logo!
LikeLike
Listen to Alan Bennett reading the shipping Forecast on youtube
Wonderful!
LikeLike
Oh my goodness, those are gorgeous!
LikeLike
You just love all the right things, Kate. The late night Shipping Forecast is such a soothing mantra. Reminds me of my sailing days, and wondering what exactly was happening out in North Utsire, South Utsire, Lundy, Fastnet, Irish Sea, Rockall, Bailey and South East Iceland. Anyone like to join me in a quick rendition of “Sailing By” ?
LikeLike
What a fabulous print.
LikeLike
Neat!
LikeLike